The incorporation of a wall cavity to increase thermal resistance began more than 350 years ago with a post-and-beam construction method known as wattle and daub. While there have been advancements in the materials of construction, the construction methods themselves have remained much the same, without any significant variation in the employment of stud and cavity insulation.
Industry practice (for residential buildings) typically includes latex-painted ½″ gypsum board, a 6 mm poly vapor barrier, 2″×4″ or 2″×6″ cavity insulated framing, ½″ plywood or OSB sheathing, Tyvek house wrap, a ½″-¾″ air gap, and brick masonry cladding. This method, however, presents certain inefficiencies and challenges. For example, moist air often penetrates the building envelope, which contacts the vapor barrier and becomes heated by the indoor climate only to cool and condense, thereby dampening the insulation contained within the wall cavity. This dampening not only renders the insulation less efficient, but can cause a build-up of moisture resulting in the growth of mold spores, which can ultimately spread through the wall and into the interior of the building. Additionally, known methods of insulation are not only time-consuming, but often complex, expensive, and prone to energy losses that result in thousands of dollars per year in wasted heating costs.
Accordingly, there remains a need for insulation and methodologies that can be employed easily in a cost-effective manner to reduce energy loss.